System of operating power brakes and clutches



June 3, 19357.

C. P. TOWNSEN D SYSTEM OF OPERATING POWER BRAKES AND CLUTCHES Filed April 12, 1954 F164 [2 i H :9 2? g .49 25 4 1 f Jr 24 11 28 e L566 221-: 21 R 51 20 FIG. 2 2 'z'sssrsm ENGINE v M V O W 5 7 64 6 62 (Q 4 9 gm FIG 5 I8 19 16 U D I m 3O 8 gvwc/wfom fif 15 12% BL 14 Gum/mg Patented June 1, 1937 PATENT OFFICE SYSTEM OF OPERATING rowan. BRAKES AND CLUTCHES Charles Pinckney Townsend, Abbevllle, S. 0. Application April 12, 1934, Serial No. 120,338

5 Claims.

My invention relates to electric motor control circuits and apparatus and has for its object the provision of means both simple and efficient for positively controlling the brakes or clutch or both 5 clutch and brakes of a vehicle. I attain my object as set forth in detail hereinafter and briefly as follows: I provide an electric motor geared down to a pull rod connected to the brakes, clutch or both and a source of current, with controlling l relays supplied with current from the source through suitable resistances which may be varied, one by a foot lever or the equivalent on the vehicle, and the other by the motor in its operation. When the two resistances are balanced 15 the relays cut off the current and when said resistances are unbalanced current will flow through the motor in direct or reverse direction to cause the motor to turn forwardlyor backwardly whereby to set or to release the brake 90 and engage or disengage the clutch members, ac-

cording to the position of the foot control lever.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a diagram of the circuits.

Fig. 2- shows the motor and connected parts diagrammatically with the pull rod connected thereto.

Fig. 3 shows the controlling foot lever and con-' nected parts.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the twin relay structure which controls the reversing switch,

in diagram.

The apparatus I have shown herein and shall now describe embodies a system and a method of 35 operating brakes or clutches of automobiles or,

other vehicles, preferably by electrical means, although it is conceivable that other means for supplying operating energy might be employed.

In the form shown, my apparatus is operated by 40 the same foot pedal which operates the gasoline feed to the motor and which is commonly called the accelerator.

Referring to Fig. 1, B is the battery, M is a series operating motor, R is a reversing switch or 45 relay controlled by two resistances A and A.

The motor M has an armature m and a reversible field m. The armature is connected by wire I to one side terminal 21 of the reversing switch R. while the field m is connected through wires 50 4i and 42 to end terminals of the switch R, these being best shown as small arrowheads 43, 44 and 45, 46 in Fig. 4. These fixed terminals 43 and 44 at one end are connected to similar terminals 45 and 46 respectively at the other end. The 55 first pair, 45 and 46, cooperates with contacts 25 and 26 and the second pair, '43 and 44, with contacts 23 and 24. When the first pair is closed the field winding m is connected so asto drive the motor forwardly to disengage the clutch and apply the brakes; and the closure of the second pair of contacts while the first pair is opened reverses the connection of the field m and causes the motor to travel in reverse direction so as to take off the brakes and engage the clutch. 4

The reversing switch R is actuated by a pair of electromagnets with coils 2| and 22 and cores 20 and 5|. The magnet 2| is connected to a rheostat A, the operating arm l3 of which is actuated by the foot lever shown in Fig. 3 to be presently described. The magnet 22 is similarly connected to rheostat A, the operating arm 8 of which is actuated through link 1, shown in Fig. 2, by the pull rod 5 of the motor M. For convenience and simplicity only one battery or source of electric current is shown, however, separate sources may be used to operate different parts of the circuits shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 2, the motor M has a shaft 2 with worm 3 attached thereto and engaging gear 4 to which in turn is attached the main operating rod or pull rod 5 whose end 6 is suitably connected to a set of brakes and a clutch, which, as described herein, are supposed to be of the type used on automobiles but which may be instrumentalities on other types of vehicles oreven the operating rods or levers on stationary machinery or apparatus. Attached to the operating rod 5 is link I which in turn is attached to handle 8 of rheostat Ill. The rod 5 may of course be employed to actuate either the brake or the clutch, or both, on an automobile or other viahicle.

In the position shown in Fig. 2 the brake and handle 8 of the rheostat are so adjusted as to be off as shown, when the parts are in the negative or inoperative position. A rotation of the motor to cause the gear 4 to move in the direction of the arrow will cause a movement of the main operating rod 5 and therefore of the brakev or clutch mechanism to which it is attached, and also will cause a movement of the rheostat handle 8 through link 1 and will cause resistance to be cut out of rheostat l0 mounted on the block 9 in proportion to the amount of movement of the rod 5. The position of maximum movement is intended to be also the one at which the maximum resistance is cut out on the rheostat.

It is to be understood that the showing of the motor, clutch and brake, and their connections to the operating rod 6, is diagrammatic and for the purpose of indicating the intended cooperative relation of such elements, and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular 5 form or elements there depicted. As will be clear from Fig. 2, movement of the operating rod 5 to the right will disengage the clutch members and apply the brake, while movement to the left will release the brake and. engage the clutch members. To effect this cooperative relation, the clutch-fork lever 65 is pivoted at 56 and is connected below the pivot with the operating rod 6 through a pin 51 carried by the rod and engagingaslot 68 in the lever. Similarly, the brake l lever 69 is pivoted at 60 and is connected below the pivot with the operating rod 6 through a pin 6| carried by the rod and engaging a slot 62 in the brake lever. The pins 51 and GI are carried on the rod 6 by sleeves 63 and 64, respectively, the sleeves being adjustably fixed on the rod in anysuitable manner as by set screws 65 and 66. It will be clear from the above that by suitable adjustment of the sleeves along the rod, movement of the rod to the right will first disengage the clutch members and then apply the brake, while movement of the rod to the left will first release the brake and then engage the clutch members' Referring to Fig. 3, I8 is the foot pedal which operates the gasoline feed or in any other way controls the power developed by the vehicle propelling unit, I6 is the operating rod which moves down as I8 is depressed and up as I8 is released. 36 is the floor board of the car, and II is a rheostat attached to some convenient support l2 so that the extension I4 or the operating lever l3 will engage the projection IS on the operating rod in certain positions. The position of the foot pedal l8 and the operating rod i6 as shown is intended to represent partial release of the pedal l8 from the neutral position, wherein a small amount of gasoline is being fed to the motor and also wherein the projection I6 is just about to operatively engage 5 the arm ll of the rheostat. Starting from the position as shown, if pressure on the foot pedal I6 is further released, spring |1 will cause the operating rod ii to move upward and projection l6 then engages the arm ll of rheostat II and 0 causes resistance to be cut out of the rheostat until extreme position is reached and all resistance is cut out, in which position upward movement of rod l6 ceases.

Referring to Fig. 4, the reversing switch r is ;5 pivoted and free to move on the bearings 41 and 46 and carries an armature block composed of magnetic material such as iron. The switch has four contacts, 25 and 26 on one end cross connected to 23 and 24 on the. other end. The so electromagnet with coil 2| and core 20 is arranged below the end of the armature to which contacts 25 and 26 are attached and so placed that when coil 2| is energized, the armature moves toward core 20 and causes contacts 25 5 and 26 to engage stationary contacts and 46 respectively, and to break contact when the coil is de-energized. In like manner an electromagnet with coil 22 and core 5| is located below the end of switch r on which contacts 23 and 24 10 are mounted, so that when coil 22 is energized switch'r moves toward core 5| and causes contacts 23 and 24 to engage stationary contacts 43 and 44 respectively, and when the coil is deenergized the contacts are separated. Two 75 springs 43 and hold the switch in neutral position as shown in Fig. 4 when neither coil is energized, or when the pull of one electromagnet balances the pull of the other so that all movable and stationary contacts are separated in this position. Other means for holding the switch in neutral position may be substituted for springs 48 and for example, compression springs may be mounted under each end of the switch. Flexible lead wire 21 connects'to contacts 26 and 23 and flexible lead 28 connects to contacts 24 and 25 as shown, and these leads and their connections are of course insulated from the armature to which the switch 1' is attached.

In the operation of the device, suppose that one or two steps of resistance are cut out of rheostat M, then the coil 2| of the reversing switch is energized, contacts are made on that side of reversing switch at 2545 and 26-46, and current flows irom battery B through field and armature of motor M. Motor armature m revolves and gear 4 moves in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, which also causes movement of main brake or clutch operating rod 6 and of rheostat arm 8 attached. Just as soon as the main operating rod has moved to the place where an approximately equal number of steps of resistance are cut out of rheostat ID the current in the coil 22 exerts an equal pull on the armature of relay R and reversing switch r opens contacts 2545 and 26-46 and returns the switch to open or neutral position, and the motor stops. As the worm 3 on motor shaft 2 is so constructed that pull by the gear on the same will not cause the motor shaft to revolve, therefore the main brake or clutch operating rod is locked in this position until the motor is again energized. Should the rheostat arm I 3 in Fig. 3, attached to the foot pedal, be returned to the position where all resistance is cut back in, then coil 22 of Fig. 1 will cause switch r in Fig. 1 to close contacts 2343 and 24-44 on its side of the reversing switch as current in coil 2| is reduced, which will cause motor M to run in the reverse direction until all resistance in rheostat III is cut in, at which position current will be equalized (or none will flow) in coils 2| and 22 and reversing switch 1' will return to the open position. The movement of the foot pedal shown in Fig. 3 therefore, through rheostat controls the movement of main brake or clutch operating rod 6 of Fig. 2. A slight upward movement of the foot pedal from the position shown in Fig. 3 causes a slight movementlof the main clutch or brake operating rod 6 of Fig. 2, a larger movement causes a larger movement of the main operating rod, and maximum movement (full upward position of foot pedal) causes maximum movement of the main brake or clutch operating rod and with maximum adjustment of the brake mechanism will give maximum braking power or any other braking power as adjusted.

It is intended that a switch be inserted in the circuit at 3| of Fig. 1, so that when the switch is in open position, the apparatus is inoperative.

The circuit of motor M when closed for forward movement is as follows: B, 3|, 26, 26, 45, 4|, m, 42, 46, 26, 21, I, m, and ground back to battery. When closed for reverse movement the circuit is as follows: 3, 3|, 28, 24, 44, 42, m, 4| 43, 23, 21, m, and ground back to battery. The foot control rheostat circuit is as follows: B, Ii, 32, 33, I3, 35, 2|, 36 and ground 31 back to battery. The pull rod rheostat circuit is as follows: B, 3|, 32, 38, 8, ii, 33, 22, 40 and ground 31 back to battery.

awaceo It is intended that a switch or switches of the push or contact type may be installed on the steering wheel or elsewhere, short circuiting rheostat ii of Fig. 3 and giving quick operation of the device without foot pedal movement.

An independent foot pedal may be used to operate rheostat Ii of Fig. 3 instead of one attached to the gasoline feed to the motor. Some other push device located in any convenient place may also be used, or several such devices operated independently may be used to operate the system.

In certain forms of the invention resistance may be inserted at 32 or 81 or both, and the ground resistance may be of an appreciable amount.

An adaptation of the above described device may be used for operating brake operating mechanism for railroads, or for operating levers, or other mechanisms for industrial uses.

More than one mechanism may be operated from one foot pedal or control button.

An important feature of this system is the ability to apply full power to the brakes practically instantaneously. A motor which operates at full speed 1800 R. P. M. takes less than a second to build up and commences to turninstant- 1y, with full operating power due to the worm. A car running at the rate of 20 miles per hour runs 29 feet per second; a car running at 40 miles per-hour traverses 58 feet per second; and the car traveling at the-rate of 60 miles per hour traverses 88 feet per second. In an emergency my brakes operated as herein described will commence to contact instantly and can be put in full braking position in less'than one second. 1

It is to be understood that where I use the wor pedal or pedally operated the word manual or manually may be substituted without departure from the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a brake control system the combination of the following instrumentalities: a motor connected to the brakes to actuate the same positively both on and oil, a balanced pair of electromagnets, a pole changing switch actuated by said magnets operating in opposition to each other to move the switch in opposite directions, a source of current-for said motor, circuit connections from said source to said motor through said pole changing switch, person operated means to regulate the current flow through one of said magnets to close said pole changing switch so as to drive the motor in one direction and mechanical means actuated in the operation of the system to regulate the current through the other magnet so as to restore the balance and leave the brakes set or unset as the case may be.

2. The system described in claim 1, in which the current regulating means for the pole changing magnets consist of two rheostats each in series with one of said electromagnets and its source of current.

3. The system described in claim 1,'in which the current regulating means for the pole changing magnets consists of two rheostats each in series with one of said electromagnets and its source of current, and both said rheostats and both said electromagnets being connected in parallel to each other.

4-. In a vehicle having a power unit and a clutch including clutch members, the combination of means adapted to be moved for progressively varying the power developed by the unit, an element movable by said means, and means connecting the element and the said clutch members in connection with an electrical circuit for progressively disengaging said clutch members in proportion to a fractional portion of the total movement of the first named means to decrease thepower developed by the unit and for progressively engaging the members in proportion to a fractional portion of the total movement of the first named means to increase the power developed by the unit.

5. In a vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a clutch including clutch members,

the combination of means adapted to be moved for progressively feeding fuel to the engine, an

element'movable by the means, and means con-' 

